


Futures

by crankyoldman, venefica_aura (crankyoldman)



Category: FF8
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-16
Updated: 2010-03-16
Packaged: 2017-10-08 01:04:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/71112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crankyoldman/pseuds/crankyoldman, https://archiveofourown.org/users/crankyoldman/pseuds/venefica_aura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It was perfect; the girl who watched from the sidelines got the guy."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Futures

**Author's Note:**

> For [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/astrangerenters/profile)[**astrangerenters**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/astrangerenters/) for [](http://www.livejournal.com/users/ff_kissbattle/profile)[**ff_kissbattle**](http://www.livejournal.com/users/ff_kissbattle/) for the prompt "Future Imperfect". Didn't intend for it to get so meta about Quistis, but then the whole thing with Squall is really meta for her.

"If you ever have anything you'd like to talk about..."

Quistis felt strange here, as if she'd been here before. Only something had changed.

"Why do you care?" Squall replied, an uncharacteristic amount of vulnerability written across his face.

She was taken aback, and looked down at her feet. She was in her dress uniform a while ago wasn't she? And she'd asked him to meet her, her student...

"Everyone has to care about someone, right?" _Because that's how it works in fairytales. You're the battle princess now._

"You care about me?"

There was no hesitation with lost children. "Of course I do!"

And there were fireworks under the stars, which she'd forgotten were there to begin with, because that was when they kissed.

\---

The Trepies had taken to glaring at Squall when he passed, and it always made her smile a little. The Headmaster said that due to his scores, Squall would be promoted to Instructor any day now. They didn't walk the halls holding hands, but they didn't need to. They were going to liberate Timber any day now, and everyone envied them, because not many people could be teammates and lovers quite so easily.

If their faces twisted unnaturally in the corner of her eye, it was just a trick of the light.

\---

His father was all smiles when she finally met the family. She could see in him the ways she hoped that Squall would become, and was becoming every day, a man of heart. He was happy because she had finally _reached_ him. That was all that needed to happen. And-and they were all there, because her family wasn't an obvious one like his, and Selphie had taken special steps to make sure that Seifer would show up. She only had to keep glancing at the door because Irvine was late.

"Relax," Squall said, corner of his mouth contorting into what he supposed was a smile. Seifer slouched in his seat but sat up quickly when Selphie pinched him.

"Was everyone waiting on me? Blame the lady, I didn't take forever puttin on mah makeup." Irvine exaggerated a drawl that he didn't have, because that made him charming. Predictably.

"Oh please you take forever with your hair..." The girl in blue was so lovely, and her smile at Quistis was so genuine that it almost served as a weapon.

_A place for everything and everything in its place._ But the moment passed quickly, and soon Zell discovered that Squall's father had brought out hot dogs for everyone.

\---

"Do you love me?"

"Of course I do."

It was perfect; the girl who watched from the sidelines got the guy. But Quistis's stomach never felt quite right, and she was starting to see ghosts. At least she thought that's what they were.

\---

She was also wearing blue, but her demeanor was very different from Irvine's girlfriend. Quistis approached her slowly, because only a crazy person would come to this section of the training room without a weapon.

"Can I help you?"

"Quistis. How do you like this?"

_Ellone._ She wasn't supposed to know her, but she did. The kind of certainty that almost death had.

"How do I like what?"

"Your perfect future."

Her perfect future. Quistis was beginning to resent the word, the way it followed them. Her. Could it really be Squall like this? The ghosts had veins along their faces. The ghosts were pointing.

"I... just wanted everyone to be happy. "

_"When I grow up, I'm going to marry Squall. And I'll have everyone come live with us and they can get married to each other too."_

_Sis laughed. "Why Squall?"_

_"He can't be alone and you're too old for him."_

"But are _you_ happy?"

There were so many things left unsaid, so many things left undone. She realized this could be eternity, that she could try again, again until everyone was happy... even herself. There were an infinite number of perfect futures to explore, and the world without time would let her. All she had to do was let it.

"No." It was so quiet she almost didn't say it. Thin arms with blue cloth bracers hugged her shoulders.

\---

"Hey! She's ok!"

She opened her eyes to see Zell, Irvine and Selphie hovering over her.

"Quisty! You were the last to wake up we were so worried." Selphie was holding her right hand, a little _tightly_ too.

"I think the Commander did it, that whole time compression thing got stopped."

"Where is Squall?"

"Uh... well he and Rinoa must have woken up somewhere else, we haven't looked."

Uncertainty.

"You can all stop hovering over me, we should go see if they're alright."

_You know where to come find me._

Her head ached and her muscles were sore, but she couldn't think of a time she'd seen the sun shine brighter. Strange, the gifts of sorceresses.


End file.
